If you’re part of the millions of Americans who suffer from chronic pain that no medicine seems to touch, you may also be one of the 2 million people who undergo acupuncture. Part of the fast-growing field of alternative medicine, acupuncture is relatively new on the American medical scene.

Chinese acupuncture was first practiced in the U.S around 1970, but it has enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years. Although acupuncture has been a staple of oriental medicine for thousands of years, only in the past three decades have Americans begun pressing thin needles into their skin at various points on the body.

Acupuncture is based on the traditional Chinese medicine principle of “yin and yang,” which are two opposing forces that – when used together – create harmony. When the flow of energy is interrupted by illness or disease, the body is affected with pain and discomfort, resulting in poor health. The thin acupuncture needles, inserted into the skin, target specific areas where pathways to the body’s natural transmitters are located. They are believed to release energy and foster healing and health.

There are several systems of acupuncture, although all are based on the same underlying principles of working with the body’s neurotransmitters – and cell energy – to achieve well-being.

“It’s very relaxing, yet it gives energy,” said Dr. Martha Grout of the Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research in Phoenix, Ariz.

A medical doctor, Grout has been practicing acupuncture along with her regular practice for more than a decade.

How Can Acupuncture Help?The list of ailments linked with acupuncture treatment is long and leaves out virtually no condition. Many studies have been done on the effectiveness of acupuncture, and while acupuncture shows some promise in many cases, the scientific reasons for its success have not been proven.

Acupuncture is safe, has few side effects and is often combined with traditional medical pain relief methods. It shows promise for helping treat symptoms of fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis, and it is used regularly in Asian countries for relieving post-surgery nausea. Among a group of 50 fibromyalgia patients surveyed in a 2006 Mayo Clinic study, acupuncture was credited for significantly improving the condition’s symptoms. Acupuncture has even been used, in conjunction with other traditional methods, to treat infertility.

Grout says many of her patients come to her seeking help for a chronic condition that traditional medicine hasn’t been able to solve.

“These are people who don’t necessarily have dense organ damage, but who just don’t feel well because of allergies, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, fibromyalgia,” said Grout.

Acupuncture is about more than pain management, however. “You can manage pain with acupuncture, but you can also enable the health of the body,” said Grout, explaining that the procedure is also being sought out as a health maintenance tool by many Americans. The Chinese often see an acupuncturist four times a year “on principle,” Grout mentioned.

How Does Acupuncture Work?Acupuncture involves penetrating the skin with very thin needles, which are guided either by hand or using electrical pulses. Solid but very thin, hairlike needles are used on a set of strategic organ-specific points on the body. The needles are pushed from less than a quarter inch up to 3 inches into the skin, and manipulated either by hand or using electrical stimulation.

The needles are made of stainless steel, and to avoid infection, your practitioner should use a new, wrapped set of needles or those that have been properly sterilized.

What Can I Expect During Acupuncture?Depending on your specific health condition, an acupuncturist may suggest a series of six to 12 sessions at first, with the potential for additional sessions if needed. Your acupuncturist should take a comprehensive history, including information about your lifestyle, occupation and health. During the acupuncture session, you lie flat on a comfortable surface. Acupuncture needles penetrate the skin. The number of needles inserted will vary as well, from three to 15 at a given time. As a patient, you should not feel any discomfort during the insertion of the needle, during needle manipulation or electrical stimulation, or when the needles are removed.

Is It Safe?Acupuncture is an attractive option to many patients because it carries very low risk in terms of side effects and safety of the procedure itself.

The biggest risks are infection at the needle site and organ damage if needles are placed incorrectly. Practitioners generally use disposable needles that are thrown away after each use, but sterilizing re-usable needles is accepted by those trained in acupuncture. The skill and experience of a practitioner trained in acupuncture can negate nearly all risk for the procedure; carefully check the credentials before seeking the services of an acupuncturist.

Who Can Practice Acupuncture?As is the case with many alternative therapies, the regulation of acupuncture is left up to each state. Most require licensing, and many states require that acupuncturists also have a license to practice medicine. There are some non-medical programs that provide a certificate to those who wish to practice acupuncture.

Ask your primary care provider for a recommendation first, and then do some checking on your own. There are several organizations with online websites that provide comprehensive listings of practicing, qualified acupuncturists. Several organizations have websites that provide referrals to practicing acupuncturists across the globe.

The federal Food and Drug Administration regulates needle use for acupuncture with requirements on manufacture and labeling standards. The FDA also specifies that only qualified practitioners may use acupuncture needles.

Acupuncture is typically used in conjunction with an established health care or recovery plan, and many physicians will readily recommend the procedure when traditional medical methods don’t produce the desired results.

Some insurance companies cover acupuncture as a treatment method; others do not. Your chances of having the procedure covered by insurance increase when your doctor advocates the care.

Alternative medicines, including homeopathy and acupuncture, began getting attention here in the United States in the 1970s. Today, most who practice acupuncture in the United States are fully trained medical doctors who underwent further training in the field of acupuncture. There are dentists who practice acupuncture as well.

Many physicians choose to become trained in acupuncture in an effort to bring more pain management options to their patients. Acupuncture continues to become more mainstream in the medical community, as word of its effectiveness spreads, and alternative medicine in general gains acceptance by an increasingly savvy and health-conscious population.

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